Sat, May 19 - 9pm - $12

After sixteen years apart, Hairball Willie is heading back to the stage. The band, led by Furthur guitarist John Kadlecik, also features guitarist Rob Ezsak, vocalist Eric Olson, drummer Dave Seagren and bassist Dale Woods.From 1986 to 1996, Hairball Willie brought it's eclectic mix of rock, blues, folk, jam band and Grateful Dead music to venues across northern Illinois and beyond. Fans took a quick liking to the essence of Hairball Willie for their creative, progressive, powerful, boogie inspired sound. Fans always left with a satisfied soul, and very sweaty. The band was originally formed by Woods, Seagren and Olson, along with guitarists Jerry Baker and Mike Crowe. The orginal formation lasted only a few years. When both Baker and Crowe left to pursue higher education, they were replaced by Ezsak and Kadlecik. This group was responsible for releasing Hairball Willie's only studio album, “Just Defying Gravity”. In 1995 Ezsak and Olson left the group to pursue other musical outlets, and were replaced by guitarist Chris Jonson and keyboard player R.J. Gouldin. This version of the band continued through 1996, when Kadlecik left to join Uncle John's Band.The Band Is:John Kadlecik - Lead Guitarist and Vocalist, went on to form Dark Star Orchestra and currently tours with Furthur as well as the John K. Band.Dave Seagren - Percussion, continues to make music with Tropical Sound Steel Band and Steel Crazy. He is also a music instructor at Waubonsee Community College.Rob Ezsak - Rhythm Guitarist and Vocalist, can currently be found on stage with the band The Bank, playing lots of classic rock.Dale Woods - Bassist and Vocalist, continues to work extensively with many Fox Valley area musicians.Eric Olson - Lead Vocalist, is currently a member of Funktional Family, as well as working with Seagren in Steel Crazy.

The band started in the fall of 1998 when John Kadlecik (mandolin and fiddle), Bob Lait (guitar), Michael Hazdra (bass), (Wavy) Dave Burlingame (banjo), Lisa Mackey (vocals) and Dave Muhlethaler (fiddle and mandolin) got together to form a bluegrass side project. Mike and John had recently started playing together in the Dark Star Orchestra. Dave Burlingame was playing bass for several blues and bar bands as well as learning banjo. Bob and Lisa were playing in a group Fenario and the Shotgun Ragtime Band. Muhlethaler was a professional street musician.Hog Head McDunna's was the first run of shows for the Dime Store String Band. This is when John named the band. Because the demands of all the projects, Dime Store got together on musicians night off, Monday.After a couple of years Dave Muhlethaler moved to Madison Wisconsin and left the band. Tom Murray, who played with Bob and Lisa in Fenario, joined to replace Muhlethaler on Fiddle. Mike left Dark Star Orchestra to get off the road, and started the regular Monday night with Bob. They still get together every Monday to play bluegrass and enjoy Mary's (Bob's wife) baked cookies and cakes, with few exceptions. Around this time Lisa joined DSO. As DSO started touring more rigorously, John and Lisa showed up on Monday's less and less frequently. Whenever John was in town he would book Dime Store at Martyr's.Dave Burlingame was also in the very successful jamgrass band, Cornmeal, with Chris Gangi. Chris started coming to Monday nights playing mandolin.Dime Store started hosting a jam before Terrapin Flyer on Sundays at the Boulevard Cafe around 2002. Around the same time Tom started booking us shows at the Uncommon Ground. When Dave and Chris were on the road with Cornmeal, Ben Wright (now with Outlaw Family Band) and Martin McWhorter, from Back Porch Ramblers, came to fill in on Banjo and Mandolin. Martin stayed on, Chris was busy with Cornmeal and teaching at the Old Town School.Different musicians came and went at the regular Monday nights at Bob's. Ruby Harris (fiddle), Chris Gangi (bass and mandolin), Rick Veras (fiddle), High on the Hog from Colorado, Jeff Sachs and Erin O'toole from Home Kookin', Jason Berger (mandolin), among others. While Dime Store was filling in for Cornmeal at Griffin's Pub, Dave Bragman filled in on banjo. James Weigel from OFB came out and sat in on Dobro at the Uncommon Ground.Bob Lait fills in on guitar and vocals once in a while with Cornmeal. Bob is also a painter, you can visit his artwork on his website. Dave is busy with Cornmeal. Tom Murray was a founding member of Chicago favorites' Stump The Host and Planet Warehouse. He also performed two seasons with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Currently, Tom has been performing and recording with Steve Dawson of Dolly Varden as well as performing regularly with Mike Himbaugh of Hello Dave. These are in addition to his main and favorite commitment, the Dime Store String Band. When not playing with DSSB, Michael Hazdra is playing eclectic folk in the George Matteson Trio. Martin has left DSSB and played with Henhouse Prowlers. Martin moved to Ireland in November 2007. Mike Kearns is now filling the mandolin spot. Dave Bragman is currently doing most of the banjowork. Wavy Dave sits in now and again when he is not touring.